Inspiration from the 10th World Bamboo Congress

There were many positive outcomes of the recent 10th World Bamboo Congress held in Korea, but perhaps the most inspiring came from a mutual need expressed by both organizers, the Governor of Damyang-gun, Choi Hyungsik, and the President of the World Bamboo Organization, Michel Abadie. Both gentlemen are convinced of the benefits and modern potentials of bamboo, and therefore drafted this important document, below. We urge you to share this document and use it in your own way to keep bamboo strong.

The Damyang Call : “Bamboo for Planet”

World Bamboo Organization and Damyang County declare and sign a joint statement with 320 participants from 40 countries here in Damyang at the 10th World Bamboo Congress as follows:

We, people of bamboo, invite all government leaders from all countries of our planet to recognize the essential contribution of bamboo in the fight against climate change.

We testify that bamboo is one of the best CO2 sequestrating agro-forestry plants,which is able to restore and protect lands from erosion and degradation, that bamboo can produce high quality woody fiber material from a quickly renewable resource, and that bamboo can be sustainably managed to provide economic revenue for human populations in need.

We urge governments to free bamboo, a giant grass, from the restrictions of out-dated national forestry codes to stimulate social and economic developments.

We urge governments to launch innovative policies to stimulate the multi-use of bamboo potentiality on energy, building, medicine, transportation, agro-forestry, nutrition, and other modern innovative capacities.

We plead for governments to support research, exchange knowledge and improve communication on bamboo development for the sake of all humanity.

We will collaborate to get an official designation from the United Nations to declare September 18th World Bamboo Day.